Well, I try not to post much anymore to Falernum threads, but here's some thoughts:

-Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with trying the Falernums straight, because when it's isolated it's far easier to identify flavors that are harsh or artificial tasting. That's where the DaVinci really loses in my opinion. Not harsh, just really fake.

-Remember the timeline: When you couldn't get John Taylors anymore in the US, Sazerac started making it. When Sazerac stopped making it, Fee Brothers started. (well, a little later- they started in 2001). Drink from the roots people.

-Sazerac's tasted good to me, and very natural like the Taylors, so it's a strong second for me. But the issue really is somewhat moot, isn't it? It's gone!

-Kono, I'm sorry that you can't get the Velvet in FL. Especially since it's produced so close to you! Fee's is a better substitute than Da Vinci as far as I'm concerned. But...A) The reason more judges prefer the JTs is because REAL FALERNUM _IS_ A LIQUEUR! There is supposed to be booze in it! and B) My strong advice to Kono and others on this list who can't get JTs is to follow pablus' recipe and make your own. I think you'll be happier and free of artifical flavors and colors.

-If you can buy JTs...I've said it before, and I'll say it again: please do. Let's make sure it keeps coming to the states.

On 2004-10-02 13:40, martiki wrote:-Kono, I'm sorry that you can't get the Velvet in FL. Especially since it's produced so close to you!

Until I found Tiki Central I didn't realize how shitty the liquor situation is here in Florida. I used to be a big hophead and home brewer so I knew that many import beers were illegal to sell in Florida due to some arcane law that required all beers to be sold in bottles that conformed to select volumes (8oz, 12oz, 16oz, 32oz etc). Beers that are packaged in bottles of other volumes (ie metric) are illegal here.

I have no idea why so many liquors and liqueurs that I read about here cannot be bought in Florida. I go to all the liquor stores and ask if they can order Trader Vics products or Agwa (sp?) or Velvet Falernum and they tell me that they can't because there's no distributor in the state. Is this some kind of Cosa Nostra thang? Pisses me off.

I was recently visiting my folks in Kentucky and went into a liquor store and bought some Trader Vic's products and some Redrum Voodoo (none of which is found here in Florida). Weird thing I noticed was that in Kentucky all the booze was 70 proof and here in Florida all the booze is 80 proof. Why is that? To make matters even more confusing, back when I lived in Kentucky 15 years ago, you could get 199 proof pure grain alcohol. In Florida, 151 proof is the max allowed by law! There's a sort of faux absinthe called Absente and a guy at ABC Liquors told me that it's only legal to sell in Louisiana and Florida. I don't know if that's true (probably not) but it wouldn't surprise me given all the stupid inconsistencies in state liquor laws.

We need some sort of Anti-Carrie Nation to lead us in a movement to make booze laws standardized throughout these United States and get rid of any measures that prevents a good citizen like myself from enjoying the same libations that Tiki Central brethren (and sisthren) in California and Louisiana enjoy. It's a damned outrage! Why can't I, as a citizen of Florida, get some goddamned Lemon Hart Demerera 151?! Damn the injustice!

Anyway, tomorrow I'm (finally) going to go check out a reportedly good liquor store out Kissimmee way that The Muggler told me about. Hopefully they can order me some Velvet Falernum. I doubt it but still have hope. Rant over. Sorry. Carry on.

Kono,
Check the other falernum thread for the places to get the stuff online. If you order one or two bottles - no one notices and no one cares.

BTW, Southern Distributors have at least all of central and south Florida wrapped up... and yes it is some sort of Cosa Nostra thing. Their reps are incredibly ignorant of everything but their catalog, which is pretty sparse.

On 2004-10-03 08:33, pablus wrote:... and yes it is some sort of Cosa Nostra thing.

Well I guess I better shut up then before I get whacked.

I went to the aforementioned liquor store today and when I asked about special orders she pulls out a book that says Southern Distributors on the front. Damn.

So have you ordered from Hi-Times online? They got it all! They've got the Lemon Hart, the Agwa, the Trader Vics and the Velvet Falernum. No problems getting them to ship to Florida? They seem pretty inexpensive which is nice to offset the shipping costs.

Newbie here, but wanted to let you guys know you definitely missed one (foreign) source of Falernum- Most of the Rum Swizzle recipes from Bermuda like the one here http://www.bermuda4u.com/Essential/bermuda_rum_swizzle.html call for "Bermuda Falernum" which after a little research you I found is now only made by Goslings with the by-product of their rum production, but its not available in the states.

I can't help with the flavor unfortunately- I've never tried it neat, but will have a bottle brought up by a friend in September.

Just "grated" the peelings off of the limes as zest (instead of peeling it off with a potato(e) peeler) and skipped the last clove infusion I originally posted. Instead I cloved it up by heating up the cloves with some sugar syrup.

Hope this helps because it tastes superior to the John Taylors and just beneath the Sazeracs.